93.2% Of School Leavers In Positive Destinations

14th June 2022

Deprivation gap at a record low.

A record proportion of young people from the most deprived communities are going on to ‘positive destinations' after leaving school.

Statistics show that 93.2% of pupils overall who left school last year were in a positive destination, including work, training or further study, nine months later. This is up from 92.2% in the previous year and just below the record of 93.3% set in 2017-18.

The gap between school leavers from the most and least deprived areas achieving positive destinations narrowed to a record low of 7.5 percentage points. This gap has now more than halved since 2009-2010.

The statistics also show that a record 31.5% of young people who left school in 2021 were in employment in April 2022, with 40.3% in higher education and 18.3% in further education.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

"All children and young people, regardless of their background, should have the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential, so I'm pleased to see a record proportion of school leavers from the most deprived communities going on to positive destinations.

"The statistics show that overall, the percentage of young people in positive destinations nine months after leaving school is also near a record high. Given the very significant challenges posed by the pandemic, this is particularly impressive.

"There is no doubt that the COVID crisis will have changed the choices made by some young people and the opportunities available to them. Whatever the pathways, seeing so many school leavers achieving positive destinations is a reflection of their resilience and of the hard work of all those who supported them."

89% of 2020-21 school leavers from the most deprived areas of Scotland were in a positive destination nine months after the end of the school year. This compares to 96.5% of school leavers from the least deprived areas.

This analysis is based on the 20% most deprived and 20% least deprived areas of Scotland determined using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD).

A National Statistics Publication for Scotland.

Scotland's Chief Statistician today published ‘Summary Statistics for Follow-up Leaver Destinations, No. 4: 2022 Edition'.

The results show that 93.2% of 2020/21 school leavers were in a positive destination nine months after the end of the school year. This has increased from 92.2% in 2019/20.

Compared to the previous school leaver cohort (2019/20) there was an increase in the proportion in Employment from 21.3% of 2019/20 leavers (the lowest rate since consistent records began in 2009/10) to 31.5% in 2020/21 - the highest rate since 2009/10. Over the same period the proportion of leavers in Higher Education decreased from 42.9% to 40.3%, and the proportion of leavers in Further Education also decreased, from 23.6% to 18.3% (the lowest since 2009/10).

For 2020/21 school leavers, 95.5% of those who were in a positive initial destination (three months after the end of the school year) were also in a positive follow-up destination (nine months after the end of the school year). This includes leavers in the same destination or in a different positive destination.

The percentage of school leavers in a positive follow-up destination increased in 2020/21 for leavers from both the 20% most deprived and 20% least deprived areas (based on Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD)), compared to 2019/20. The gap between the two groups decreased from 8.3 percentage points in 2019/20 to 7.5 percentage points in 2020/21 - the lowest it has been since 2009/10.

Follow-up destinations relate to outcomes approximately nine months after the end of the school year and the figures for the 2020/21 school leaver cohort relate to statuses recorded as at April 2022. It is likely that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will have continued to affect the destination choices made by, and opportunities available to, some school leavers in 2020/21.

Scotland's Chief Statistician today published ‘Summary Statistics for Follow-up Leaver Destinations, No. 4: 2022 Edition’.

The results show that 93.2% of 2020/21 school leavers were in a positive destination nine months after the end of the school year. This has increased from 92.2% in 2019/20.

Compared to the previous school leaver cohort (2019/20) there was an increase in the proportion in Employment from 21.3% of 2019/20 leavers (the lowest rate since consistent records began in 2009/10) to 31.5% in 2020/21 - the highest rate since 2009/10. Over the same period the proportion of leavers in Higher Education decreased from 42.9% to 40.3%, and the proportion of leavers in Further Education also decreased, from 23.6% to 18.3% (the lowest since 2009/10).

For 2020/21 school leavers, 95.5% of those who were in a positive initial destination (three months after the end of the school year) were also in a positive follow-up destination (nine months after the end of the school year). This includes leavers in the same destination or in a different positive destination.

The percentage of school leavers in a positive follow-up destination increased in 2020/21 for leavers from both the 20% most deprived and 20% least deprived areas (based on Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD)), compared to 2019/20. The gap between the two groups decreased from 8.3 percentage points in 2019/20 to 7.5 percentage points in 2020/21 – the lowest it has been since 2009/10.

Follow-up destinations relate to outcomes approximately nine months after the end of the school year and the figures for the 2020/21 school leaver cohort relate to statuses recorded as at April 2022. It is likely that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will have continued to affect the destination choices made by, and opportunities available to, some school leavers in 2020/21.